Method of making nuts and the like



Patented Dec. l, 1936 UNITED sTATEs METHOD OF MAKING NUTS AND THE yLIKE William L. Clouse, Tiiin, Ohio,` assignoi' to The National MachineryA Company, Tiffin, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application April 6, 1933, Serial No. 664,749

- `28 Claims.

. This invention relates to the manufacture of ing the corners chamfered on one surface and. any desired finished configuration on the opposite surface from pieces of stock which may V'if l5 or which may have one face bevelled as shownin my said prior application; to eliminate the development of excessive pressures on the tools in all 4of the operations by .performing each operation without completely confining at any time the metal of the blank so that the metal at all times may now into one or more open spaces and thereby limit the maximum pressure thatcan be developed; and to simplify the operations and reduce the number of steps and die stages in the manufacture of nuts lby cold working.

This invention consists in upsetting a blank into a polygonal die by partially piercingy the blank so as to fill out one face to the desiredconfiguration and allow the metal to ow freely toward the other face in such a manner-asto produce a chamfer at the corners of such other face, and while held in a die exertingpressure against the faces fof the blank to finish the faces and reduce the nut to the exact axial length desired, any excess volume of metal in the blank flowing into the pierced hole, and finallyv punching out an axial hole in the blank in alignment with' the pierced -hole and simultaneously punching out any excess metal that has-flowed into the pierced hole. The invention also includes the novel upsetting step which may be used either in conjunction with the other steps of 'my process or in any other combination of steps and similarly the which may likewise be used in any other desired combination of steps.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates two embodiments of my invention:

Figure 1 is a view partly in section through a hexagonal die showing an illustrative form of tools for carrying out the first upsetting step;

Figure 2 is a similar view of tools which may be used for carrying out the second step; 'Y

Figure 3 is a. similar view of a set of tools which wished have initially plain or unfinished faces,

novel forming step for finishing the end faces- (c1. io-sc) may be used alternatively to those shown in' Figure 2 for carrying out the second step;

Figure 4 is a similar view of a set of tools which may be used for punching out the opening;

Figure 5 is'a perspective view of a bar of stock 5 and al lozenger or rough blank sheared from the bar and from which a nut is to be formed.

Referring to the drawing, the first step is preferably carried out by confining a lozenger a in a hexagonal die I Il and acting on the opposite faces 10 of the'lozenger by opposed tools 'Il and I2. The lozenger a may, if desired, be a rough substantially cylindrical piece sheared off from the end of a bar of stock and having substantially flat opposed faces b and C. Ordinarily, however, the 15 lozenger a is first subjected to a preliminary pressingl operation as disclosed in my prior application'tolatten the faces, remove any irregularities resulting from the shearing, and bevel the edge of one face to start the chamfer. Y ,o

' The tool II is arranged to move axially of the hexagonal opening in the diev I0 and is formedv at its end with a plunger I3 to enter and upset the metal of the lozenger a. The plunger portion I3 is ,connected tothe body of the tool II g5 in any suitable way, preferably by `a conical portion M. 'Ihe tool II may be made substantially circular in cross section as illustrated in Figure 1 to enter between the opposite fiat surfaces of the hexagonal dieimpression, or if desired may 30 be constructed hexagonal in section to closely llt the die. l

The tool I2 as illustrated in Figure' 1 may be formed with a'hexagonal section toslidably t l in the die impression and is provided at its end 35 with a substantially flat face I5 having centrally. disposed thereon a projection I6 united to theI body of the tool I2 by a conical shoulder I'I.

In the rst upsetting step the lozenger a is placed in the die I0 and is'upset into the die im- 40 pression by the tools Il and I2 by moving the tool II to force the plunger I3 into the metal of th lozenger. The tool I2 may be moved or may simply be held in position to permit the metal to abutagainst the face I5 and the pro- 45 jection I6. The action of the plunger I3 spreads the metal of the lozenger a radially Vinto the die impression and throws themetal to cleanly and acurately fill out` the corners adjacent the surface I5 ofthe tool I2. During this` action a 50 wave of metal-d is thrown up around the plunger I3 from the upper face b of the lozenger. The metal of the blank is caused to low'bodily toward the tool I I, increasing the axial length of 'the blank, and since the resistance to the metal f flow is greater around the periphery of the blank adjacent the Walls of the die I0 than it is in the central portion of the blank o r along the plunger I3, the metal spaced radially inward from the periphery of the blank flows axially to a greater extent than that adjacent the surfaces of the die I0, forming the upper face of the blank with a chamfere.

The projection I6 on the tool |2 enters the metal of the lozenger and forms a recess f, of the same size andshape as the projection I6, in the lower face c of the blank. While the projection illustrated is shaped merely to form a counterbore for the hole, it will be understood that it may be of any desired shape. For example, this projection might be similar to, but smaller than,

the plunger |3,\as shown in my said prior application. During the upsetting operation the metal is free to flow axially toward the tool II, since the upper face b of the lozenger is wholly unconflned radially outside of the plunger |3.

'I'he plunger I3 is pressed into the blank a predetermined distance, forming a pierced hole g separated from. the recess f by a web of m'etal h.

'I'he thickness of this web of metal h remains' substantially constant in each blank upset, although the volume of `metal contained in the initial lozenger a may vary to a substantial extent. Anyexcess metal in the lozenger ows upwardly 'toward the tool or increases the size of the wave d about the plunger I3 without belng locked or confined so as to build up the pressures acting upon the tools.

At the completion of the upsetting operation as illustrated in Figure 1 the tools and. I2 are removed from the blank and the blank may .be transferred to a die such as the die I8 illustrated in Figure 2. The die I8 is provided with a cavity |9 having a closed end 20. The closed end 20 -face I5 and ,projection I6 of the tool I2. The

' blank is reduced to the desired size and the upper.

closed end 20 of the die formed with the configuration which it is desired to impart to the upper or chamfered face of the lflnished nut and likewise the face 23 of the tool 22 preferably conforms to the desired nished lbottom face of the nut. The die cavity-I9 may simply be formed in a solid block or the die may be'assembled from any suitably shaped pieces leaving the cavity I9. The closed end 20 of the die may simply be the forward face of a knockout pin which is held stationary during the pressure operation. A knockout pin may, of course, also be'of a smaller diameter to slide through the end 20.

'I'he total 22f is pressed into the die cavity I9 against the blank until the axial height .ofz the face is pressed into the desired finished form against the closed end 20 of the die. During this operation the wave d formed on the upper face b of the lozenger in the initial operation is pressed back into the blank, any excess metal flowing into the pierced hole g. The chamfer e formed by the drag of the metal of the blank in `the die |0 during the first upsetting step is shaped to the desired finished form by the chamend of the blank. to the desired contour.

fer 2| in the die I8. Any excess volume of metal initially present in. the lozenger a is likewise pressed into the pierced" hole gand by reason of the freedom of the metal to flow into this hole the pressures developed by moving the tool 22 through the predetermined distance are limited -to the pressure required to make the metal flow and cannot build up to a point which would injure the tools.

At the completion of this operation'an axial hole is punched completely through the blank in alignment with the recess f formed, in the bottom face of the blank and the pierced hole g formed in the top face. Preferably the hole is punched to4 the same sizev as the fiat end of the recess f, leaving the conical portion of the recess as a counterbore for the lower end of the hole. 'I'his punching operation may be performed in the usual manner by merely placing the blank over an apertured 4plate and bringing the punching tool down through the blank, preferably rst entering the recess f in order to avoid distorting the counterbore, or the punching may be carried out with the metal of the blank confined in the same or another die such as lillustrated in Figure 4, as will be explained more in detail hereinafter.

It will be understood, of course, that .in connection with the tools shown in Figures 1 and 2 the projections I6 and 24 may be omitted, if it is desired to omit the counterbore or to form it in some other Way, and if the partial piercing provided by these projections is unnecessary. Likewise the tools I2 and 22 may be given anyther contour to form the bottom face of the completed nut as desired.

An alternative form of tools for carrying out the second step is illustrated in Figure 3, and this figure also illustrates an arrangement to form a washer face on the bottom face of the nut which, of course, may also be utilized inthe embodiment first described. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3 the blank at the completion vof the first upsetting step is placed in a confining die 25 and is acted upon by opposed tools 26 and 21. The tool 26 is formed with a flat face 28 and a projection 29 to conform to the desired finished bottom face v blank with its chamferedl uppe:` end projecting above the flat upper face 3| of the die 25. The tool-21 is formed with a recess 32 preferably flat in its central portion and provided with a hexagonal chamfer 33 to shape and finish the upper..

The tool 21 is brought Adown against the projecting upper face of the blank through a predetermined distance so that the blank is reduced' tothe desired axial height and.is shaped to the desired finished form by the recess 32. During this operation the wave of metal d thrown up on the upper faceof the blank is pressed into the pierced hole g and likewise a portion of any excess volume of metal contained in the blank is causedl to flow into the pierced hole g as in the operation illustrated in Figure 2. The tool 21, however, is not formed to enter the die 25, but is formed with a at surface 34 radially outward of the recess 32 which. approaches the end surface 3| of the die 25 causing a flash of metal 1c to be thrown out between these surfaces 3| and 34. The metal of the lowerface of the blank is pressed down against the ring 30, forming the recess i, and completing -the lling out--of the corners at the lower face metal flows either into ,the pierced hole g orA outwardly into the flash Ic. As in the preceding operations the pressures developed within the blank are limited by the fact that the pierced hole .g is unconflned and the metal can freely flow into this hole. l

In Figure 4 I have shown .an arrangement of tools which may be employed as another alternative for pressing vthe blank to the desired axial height and for punching out the axial opening in the blank. The blank is placed within a confining die 35 and is engaged on its opposite end .faces by hollow tools 36 and 31 which pressvto size and firmly hold the blank against distortion.l

A punch 38 is slidably arranged within the hollow tool 31 and after the blank has been pressed to thel desired axial height, the punch is forced coml pletely through the same, entering preferably the recess f and then shearing out the web h and shaving away themetal which has been pressed Y into the pierced hole g by the finishing operations for the end faces. 'If the blank is formed with a washer face the die 35 maybe providedwith a ring 39 within which the tool 31 slides. This ring 39 is forced into the `metal Vto form the recess i and complete the lling out of the lower corners in the same way as the ring '30 previously described. Being held in the confines of the die during the nishing operation for the end faces, and then for the punching operation, the blank is punched with an axial hole .that is accurately concentric and aligned with the periphery of the blank and likewise accurately perpendicular to the end faces, since the punching operation is carried out while the blank 'is firmly held against distortion.

Where the end faces of the blank are nished by the type of apparatus illustrated in Figure 3 the flash k may be sheared oi either in a separate operation or when the blank is inserted into the die 35 or in' any other convenient way.

It willalso be evident that if desired the punching operation may be carried out in conjunction with the end face nishing operation as illustrated in Figure 3. This may be done by constructing the tool 21 hollow in the manner of the tool 36, and likewise constructing the tool 26 hollow and slidably mounting therein a punch corresponding to the punch 38. After the tool 21 is brought down through the desired distance and the end face of the blank finished to the desired contour the punch may then be pressed into and from the top face of the nut, if wished, by arranging the punch in the tools I1, 21 or 35.

Although I` have described my invention with f I `reference to particular embodiments and tools,`it

will be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular type or form ofapparatus and that many changes, modifications and re-arrangements of steps and details may be resorted to without departing from the scope or the invention as defined in the following claims.

1. 'I'he process of making nuts by cold working comprising shearing oi a length of stock from a. bar, upsetting and spreading the metal into a polygonal form by partially piercingv the length of stock, retracting the piercing tool from the stock, finishing the end faces of the length of stock and reducing the stock to the desired axial length, and maintaining at least one surface of the metal unconflned during each operation to permit a free flow of the metal at such surface to limit the pressures developed in the operations and to dispose of any excess volume of metal.

2. The process of making nuts by cold working comprising shearing oil a length .of stock from a bar, upsetting and spreading the 'metal into a polygonal form by partially piercing the length of stock, retracting the piercing tool from the stock, finishing the end faces of the length of stock and reducing the stock to the desired axial length, and maintaining at least one surface of the metal unconned-during each operation to permit a free flow of the metal at such surface"l l vto limit the pressures developed in the operations and to dispose of any excess volume of metal, and then vpunching out an axial opening in the metal of the blank axially toward the piercing tool to elongate the blank and to a greater extent adjacent the piercing tool vthan adjacent the walls of the die, exerting pressure on the opposite end faces of the blank, while the same is'conflnedexternally, to finish the end faces and reduce thev blank to the desired axial length, and punching out an axial opening in the blank.

4. The process of making nuts by cold working comprising conning a blank in a polygonal die, upsetting the blank into the die by partially piercing the same from at least one end surface,

carrying out the piercing operation t flow the metal of the blank axially toward the piercing tool to elongate the blank and to a greater extent adjacentthe piercing tool than adjacent the Walls of the-die, exerting pressure on the opposite end faces of the blank, while the same is conned externally, to finish theA end faces' and reduce the blank to the desired axial length. and without removing the pressure on the end faces or removing the lblank from the conning die, punching the blank axially to form a. hole there through and shear out any excess metal. l..

5. 'I 'he process of making nuts by cold working comprising conning a blank in a polygonal die, upsetting the blank into the die by' partially piercing the same simultaneously from the opposite ends, andcarryin'g out the piercing from one end throukha greater depth than from the ether tc cause the metal of the blank to now axially'y toward said one end to elongate the blank. and through` a greater extent adjacent ,the4 piercing tool than adjacent the walls ofthe 'die,'exerting pressure on .the opposite lend faces-cf, the blank, while the same is' conned externailm'to finish the end faces and reduce the blanktothe desired axial length, and punching out. an axial opening in uitbraak.V ,-7 Lv 6. The processof making nuts by cold working comprising confining a blank in apolygonal die,

upsetting the blank into the die by partially1 piercing the same from the opposite ends, and

carrying out the piercing from one end through a.

greater depth than from the other to cause the metal of the blank to flow axially toward said one end to elongate the blank and through a greater extent adjacent the piercing tool than adjacent the walls of the die, -exerting pressure on the opposite end faces of the blank, while the same is confined' externally, to finish the end faces and reduce the blank to the desired axial length, and without removing the pressure on the end faces or removing the blank from the confining die, punching the blank'axially to form a hole therethrough and shear out any excess metal.

7. The process of making nuts by cold working comprising upsetting a blank into a polygonal shape by partially piercing the same, forming a chamfer on at least one end face of the blank and duringeach operation maintaining at least one surface of the blank unconfined so as to permit a free flowing of the metal at such surface, re-

ducing the pierced blank to the desired finished l axial length, allowing any excess metal to flow into thepierced hole and punching out an axial opening in the blank in alignment with the i piercing the same from one end surface, leaving pierced hole and at the same time. punching out any excess metal.

8. The process of making nuts by cold working -comprising upsetting a blank into the confines of a polygonal die by partially piercing the same, retracting the piercing toolto free the surface of the pierced hole, exerting pressure on the oppo- 9. The process of making nuts by cold working comprising u etting a blank into the confines of a polygonal e by partially piercing the same, re-

tracting the piercing tool from the blank, exerting pressure on one end face of the blank by a concave tool surface to form a chamfer on that end face, and punching out an axial opening in the blank.

`10."The process of making nuts by cold working comprising upsetting a blank into the conns of a polygonal die by partially piercing the same, retracting the piercing tool from the blank, pressing the blank axially into a die having a closed chamfered end to form' a chamfer on one endface of the blank, and punching out an axial opening in the blank.

i1. The process of making nuts by cold working comprising upsetting a blank .into polygonal form by partially piercing the same from one end surface to yflow the metal of the blank toward the piercing tool;'leaving such end surface unconfi'nedin an axial direction over an area radially outward of' the piercing tool and with the other end face restricted, pressing the pierced blank on said one end face by a concave tool surface to form a chamfer on the blank. and punching out an axial opening in the blank.

12. The process ofmaking nuts by cold working comprising upsetting and chamfering a blank by confining the same in a polygonal die partially said end surface. wholly unconflnedA in an axial direction radially outward of the piercing tool,

pressing the blank axially into a die having Na' closed end to shape said one end surface against the closed end of the die and punching out an axial opening in the blank.

13. The process of making nuts by cold working comprising upsetting and chamfering a blank into polygonal form by partially piercing the same axially from one end surface, leaving said one end surface unconned inl an axial direction over an area radially outward of the piercing tool, pressing the blank axially into a die having a closed chamfered endto further shape on said one end surface and punching out an axial opening in the blank.

14. 'Ilie process of making nuts by cold working comprising upsetting a blank `into polygonal form by partially piercing the same through more than half ofthe axial length of the blank, supporting the blank in a die with one end surface project- 1 ing therefrom, pressing said one end surface to ing comprising confining a blank in a polygonalv die, upsetting the blank into the die by partially piercing the same from at least one end surface, and carrying out the piercing operation to flow the metal of the blank axially toward the piercing tool to elongate the blank and to a greater extent adjacent the piercing tool than adjacent the walls of the die.

17. The process of making nuts by cold working comprising confining a blank in a polygonal die, upsetting the blank into the die by partially piercing the same simultaneously from the opposite ends, and carrying out the piercing from one end through a greater depth than from the other to cause the metal of the blank to flow axially toward said one end tohelongate the blank and through a greater extent adjacent the piercing tool than adjacent the walls of the die.

18. The process of making nuts by cold working comprising confining a blank in a polygonal l die, upsetting the blank into the die by partially piercing the same' from at least one end surface leaving the blank throughout the piercing cperation and until the retracting of the piercing tool unconned on that end surface in an axial direcc metal of one end surface unconfined in an axial direction over an area radially'outward of the piercing tool, and carrying out the piercing from the unconned end through a greater depth than from the other end to cause the metal of the blank to ow axially toward sald unconflned end to elongate the blank andthrough a greater extent adjacent the piercing tool than adjacent the walls of thedie.'

20. The process of making nuts by cold working comprising supporting a blank in a polygonal confining die and partially piercing the blank from at, least one end surface insuch a manner as to cause the metal to flow along the piercing `V tool in the opposite direction to the movement' ing the same from at least one end surface, leav ing the blank throughout the piercing operation and until the retracting of the piercing tool unconned on that end surface in an axial directionradially outward of the piercing tool, and restricted on the opposite end surface and ca r rying out the piercing operation to ow the metal toward the unconned end surface to elongate the blank.

22. The process of making nuts by cold Working comprising confining a blank in'a polygonal die, upsetting the blank into the die by partially piercing the same simultaneously from the opposite ends, leaving the metal of one end surface unconned in an axial direction throughout said piercing operation over anY area radially outward of the piercing tool, and carrying out the piercing from the unconned e'nd through a greater depth than from the other -end Vto cause the metal of the blankto ow axially toward said unconned end tol increase the axial length of the blank to substantially the desired height of the finished nut'.

23. A process of making nuts by cold working comprising upsetting a blank into a polygonal die by partially piercing the same, retracting the piercing tool to free the surface of the pierced hole, and pressing one face of the blank to form an axial projection thereon and to ow the metal to completely fill out the corners of the blank adjacent said one face. f

24. A process of making nuts by cold working comprising upsetting a blank into a polygonal die by partially piercing the same, retracting the piercing tool to free the surface of the pierced hole, exerting pressure on the oppositejend faces of the blank to reduce the blank to the desired axial length, and pressing themetal on one end face` adjacent the corners of the blankto com.- pletely fill out the corners in a plane spaced slightly from the plane of said one end face.

25. A process of making nuts by cold working comprising upsetting a blank into a polygonal die by at least partially piercing the same, retracting the piercing tool to free the surface of the pierced hole and exerting pressure against one end face of the blank to form a washer face thereon by axially flowing the metal adjacent the corners of the blank spaced radially from the pierced hole.

26. The process of making nuts by cold working comprising upsetting a blank into a polygonal die by at least partially piercing the same, exerting pressure on the opposite end faces of the blank to reduce the same -to the desired axial length, allowing any excess metal to flow into the pierced hole, pressing one end face of the blank to axially flow the metal adjacent the corners of the blank radially spaced from the pierced hole to completely fill -out the corners of the blank adjacent said one end face and form a washer face thereon,

and punching out an axial opening in the blank.

27. That method of making a nut by cold working which comprises shearing off a. length of wire or rod stock to provide a cylindrical blank, shaping said cut ofI blank, confining said blank in a polygonal die, piercing to upsetvthe same into the corners of the die and flow themetal of the blank axially to increase the height of the blank, nishing the upper and lower faces of the pierced blank by pressure thereon with the pierced hole unconflned to permit excess metal to -ow into the pierced hole and punching out the pierced hole.

28. That method of making a nut by cold working which comprises shearing off a length of wire or rod stock to provide a cylindrical blank, shaping said cut off blank by axial pressure on the blank, confining said shaped blank in a polygonal die, piercing the blank from one end surface through more than half the axial length of the pierced blank to upset the same into the corners of the die and' ow the metal of the blank axially to increase the height of same, finishing th'e upper and lower faces of the pierced blank by pressure` thereon with the pierced hole unconned topermit excess metal to flow into the pierced hole and punching out the pierced hole.

WILLIAM L. CLOUSE. 

